Description
These Middle Eastern Sambousek Egg Rolls are a crispy, golden twist on a classic favorite. Made with spiced ground beef, fresh aromatics, and wrapped in flaky phyllo dough, they’re fried to perfection and paired with a zesty garlic aioli for dipping. Perfect as an appetizer, snack, or party dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs 90% lean ground beef
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more as needed for cooking
- 3 cups oil, for frying
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh turmeric, grated
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried cilantro
- 1 tsp red pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 large package phyllo dough
- Garlic Aioli:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
- 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1–2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in green onions, garlic, and grated turmeric; cook for 2 minutes.
- Cook the beef: Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, coriander, cumin, dried cilantro, and red pepper. Cook until beef is browned and fully cooked. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly.
- Prepare phyllo dough: Carefully lay out sheets of phyllo dough. Place 2–3 tablespoons of the beef filling near one end, fold sides inward, and roll tightly to form egg rolls. Brush seam with beaten egg yolk to seal.
- Fry the sambousek: Heat 3 cups of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry rolls in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
- Make garlic aioli: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ground ginger, dried cilantro, honey, hot sauce, and minced garlic until smooth.
- Serve: Plate the sambousek egg rolls hot with garlic aioli for dipping.
Notes
- Keep phyllo dough covered with a damp towel while working to prevent drying out.
- You can bake instead of frying: brush with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes until golden.
- Adjust spice level by adding more red pepper or hot sauce.
- Best enjoyed hot and crispy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg roll with dip
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: sambousek, Middle Eastern egg rolls, beef sambousek, fried appetizer, garlic aioli dip